Woolly Sunflower aka Oregon Sunshine (Eriophyllum lanatum)

Iron Mountain, OR, 7/2014.

Contrary to popular belief, we get plenty of sunshine in Oregon, especially during the summer months, when these flowers, coincidentally, are in bloom. Both botanical names refer to the hairy, greenish-white or silvery leaves, which serve to differentiate them from other yellow-gold composite flowers such as arnica, groundsel and balsamroot. Eriophyllum translates to woolly-leaf, and lanatum also refers to wool. These adapt to several habitats, but nearly all are dry and rocky. We see them this time of year on rocky slopes, sometimes en masse. They obviously don’t need much in terms of water or soil (see below).